Pour Choices: When a Party Turns into a Lawsuit

Can you be sued for hosting a party where a guest drinks too much and causes harm?

In this episode, civil litigators Hamish Mills-McEwan and Stanford Cummings dig into social host liability - the legal concept that asks whether party hosts (as opposed to bars or venues) can be held responsible when guests overindulge and something goes wrong.

They break down the leading Supreme Court of Canada case (Childs v. Desormeaux), explain the difference between social and commercial hosts, and explore how different facts lould shift legal responsibility.

Also covered:

- What the courts currently say about liability for house parties

- Why this area of law hasn’t changed much in almost 20 years

- How future cases or legislation could open the door to expanded liability

- Real-world examples and how “tweaking the facts” might affect outcomes

Thank you for joining us for Civil Banter. Tune in for more insightful discussions on the intricacies of civil law and the personal experiences that shape the practice of law.